Touch sensitive surface with recessed surface feature for an electronic device

ABSTRACT

An electronic device ( 300 ) includes a housing ( 301 ). A touch sensitive surface ( 100 ) can be disposed along the housing. The touch sensitive surface can include a recessed surface feature ( 106 ) on a portion of the touch sensitive surface. A control circuit ( 315 ), operable with the touch sensitive surface, can detect a predetermined gesture sequence ( 501, 502, 503 ) when a touch actuation along the touch sensitive surface interacts with the recessed surface feature.

This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 15/189,941,filed on Jun. 22, 2016, which is a Continuation of application Ser. No.13/827,735, filed on Mar. 14, 2013, the entire contents of each of whichis hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and moreparticularly to user input elements for electronic devices.

BACKGROUND ART

“Intelligent” portable electronic devices, such as smart phones, tabletcomputers, and the like, are becoming increasingly powerfulcomputational tools. Moreover, these devices are becoming more prevalentin today's society. For example, not too long ago a mobile telephone wasa simplistic device with a twelve-key keypad that only made telephonecalls. Today, “smart” phones, tablet computers, personal digitalassistants, and other portable electronic devices not only maketelephone calls, but also manage address books, maintain calendars, playmusic and videos, display pictures, and surf the web.

As the capabilities of these electronic devices have progressed, so toohave their user interfaces. Prior keypads having a limited number ofkeys have given way to sophisticated user input devices such as touchsensitive screens or touch sensitive pads. Touch sensitive systems,including touch sensitive displays, touch sensitive pads, and the like,include sensors for detecting the presence of an object such as a fingeror stylus. By placing the object on the touch sensitive surface, theuser can manipulate and control the electronic device without the needfor a physical keypad.

One drawback to touch sensitive electronic devices is that some offerlimited modes of input. It would be advantageous to have an improvedtouch sensitive surface that offers additional modes of operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of one explanatory touch sensitivesurface configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional view of one explanatory touch sensitivesurface configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates one explanatory electronic device configured inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a user manipulating an explanatory touch sensitivesurface of an electronic device configured in accordance with one ormore embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates explanatory gesture sequences being applied to anexplanatory touch sensitive surface configured in accordance with one ormore embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates one explanatory method of controlling an electronicdevice in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates another explanatory method of controlling anelectronic device in accordance with one or more embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates yet anther explanatory method of controlling anelectronic device in accordance with one or more embodiments of thedisclosure.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements inthe figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help toimprove understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In accordance with one embodiment, a touch sensitive surface includes arecessed surface feature disposed along a portion of the touch sensitivesurface. In one embodiment, the recessed surface feature includes aconcave surface element relative to the areas of the touch sensitivesurface that are complementary to the recessed surface feature, e.g.,those portions of the touch sensitive surface extending beyond aperimeter of the element.

The touch sensitive surface may be disposed along a housing of anelectronic device. For example, in one embodiment the touch sensitivesurface is disposed along a rear major face of a device housing. Thisconfiguration permits the front major face of the device to accommodatea display. The user can control the device, and data presented on thedisplay, by interfacing with the touch sensitive surface disposed on thebackside of the device. Placing the touch sensitive surface on the rearof the device both provides for simpler user operation in one embodimentand leaves the entire front side of the device available for the displayso that a finger does not need to occlude the touch sensitive display tointeract with the images on the display.

A control circuit, which is operable with the touch sensitive surface,is configured to detect a predetermined gesture sequence along the touchsensitive display. In one or more embodiments, the predetermined gesturesequence occurs when a user's finger, stylus, or other object interactswith the recessed surface feature. For example, in one embodiment, auser's finger can begin within the perimeter of the recessed surfacefeature, and then traverse the perimeter of the recessed surface featureto terminate along portions of the touch sensitive surface that arecomplementary to the recessed surface feature. In another embodiment,the opposite can occur, i.e., a user's finger can begin outside theperimeter of the recessed surface feature, and then traverse theperimeter of the recessed surface feature to terminate within theperimeter of the recessed surface feature. In yet another embodiment, apredetermined gesture can begin and terminate along portions of thetouch sensitive surface that are complementary to the recessed surfacefeature, but pass through the recessed surface feature while the gestureis occurring. In one or more embodiments, when a predetermined gestureis detected, the control circuit can execute an operation correspondingto the predetermined gesture to control the electronic device and/ordata presented on the display. For example, the control circuit canincrease or decrease a volume output of the electronic device, panthrough data presented on a display of the electronic device, perform azoom operation on the data presented on the display of the electronicdevice, deliver a haptic response, or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment, the touch sensitive surface includes a capacitivetouchpad that spans the touch sensitive surface. While a capacitivetouchpad is one technology suitable for use with the touch sensitivesurface, those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure will understand that other technologies can be used as well.For example, the touch sensitive surface can detect touch, in one ormore embodiments, using a resistive touch sensor, a surface acousticwave touch sensor, a surface capacitance sensor, a projected capacitancesensor, a mutual capacitance sensor, a self-capacitance sensor, aninfrared grid sensor, an infrared acrylic projection sensor, an opticalimaging sensor, a dispersive signal sensor, an acoustic pulserecognition sensor, and so forth.

In one embodiment, the capacitive touchpad includes a plurality ofcapacitive electrode pairs, with each pair defining a “pixel” of thecapacitive touchpad. To assist in preventing false detection ofpredetermined gestures, in one embodiment to detect user interactionwith the recessed surface feature of the touch sensitive surface, a usermust interact with a minimum threshold of pixels spanning the recessedsurface feature. Illustrating by example, if twenty-five pixels aredisposed along the recessed surface feature, touch input may have to bereceived by, say, at least ten pixels for the control circuit toregister an interaction with the recessed surface feature. Setting sucha threshold helps to prevent accidental brushing or light touchesoccurring on only portions of the recessed surface feature from beingdetected as at least a portion of some predetermined gestures.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one explanatory touch sensitive surface 100configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of the touch sensitive surface 100, whileFIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view. In this explanatoryembodiment, the touch sensitive surface 100 is disposed along a housing101 of an electronic device.

In one embodiment, the touch sensitive surface 100 defines an areaconfigured with a touch sensor 201 to detect the presence of an object,such as a user's finger or stylus, when that object is proximallylocated with a surface 102 of the touch sensitive surface 100. Thesurface 102 can include a protective shield or other covering thatprotects the electronics of the touch sensor 201.

In one or more embodiments, the touch sensor 201 is a capacitivetouchpad that spans the touch sensitive surface 100. The capacitivetouchpad can be configured to detect movement of, for example, a user'sfinger, occurring within a region defined by, for example, the outerperimeter 103 the touch sensitive surface. The capacitive touchpad canfurther be configured to detect a direction of the movement within theregion.

Capacitive touchpads suitable for use with embodiments of the disclosurecan be constructed in a variety of ways. For example, in one embodimentthe capacitive touchpad is formed by horizontal conductors and verticalconductors that cross over each other to define a grid 104 of pixels105. The conductors can be coupled to a touch driver, operable with thecontrol circuit, which delivers a signal to each pixel of the grid.Electrical charges then travel to the pixels 105 of the grid.Electromagnetic fields are then created about the pixels 105. The fieldsare altered by a user's finger or other conductive object interactingwith the touch sensitive surface 100. This alteration allows the controlcircuit to detect touch input.

In one embodiment, the electrodes defining each pixel 105 can define acoordinate plane. Said differently, each pixel 105 can correspond to adifferent a particular geographic coordinate defined by the touchsensitive surface 100. By detecting a change in the capacitance of oneor more pixels 105, the control circuit can thus determine an X and Ycoordinate, and optionally the Z coordinate where the touch sensitivesurface 100 is non-planar as shown in FIG. 4, at which the touch inputoccurs. This locational information can be used to control data on thedisplay. Motion can be detected as well. Other forms of capacitivetouchpads suitable for use with embodiments of the disclosure will beobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

In one embodiment, the touch sensitive surface 100 includes a recessedsurface feature 106 disposed along a portion of the touch sensitivesurface 100. The recessed surface feature 106 is delineated by aperimeter 107. Portions of the touch sensitive surface 100 disposedwithin the perimeter constitute the recessed surface feature 106, whileportions within the perimeter 103 of the touch sensitive surface 100 andoutside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 constituteportions of the touch sensitive surface 100 that are complementary tothe recessed surface feature 106.

As seen most clearly in FIG. 2 taken along cross-section A-A of FIG. 1,in this illustrative embodiment the recessed surface feature 106 has aconcave surface element. Those of ordinary skill in the art having thebenefit of this disclosure will understand that the recessed surfacefeature may take other forms. For example, in one embodiment therecessed surface feature can be planar, with a bottom floor 202 beingsubstantially flat. In another embodiment, the recessed surface featurecan even be convex while being recessed, with an apex of any convexshape being recessed from the touch sensitive surface 100. Moreover, thebottom floor 202 can even be textured and may include a plurality ofconvex and concave features as well.

FIG. 3 illustrates an explanatory electronic device 300 configured inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Theexplanatory electronic device 300 is shown as a smart phone for ease ofillustration. However, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill inthe art having the benefit of this disclosure that other portableelectronic devices may be substituted for the explanatory smart phone ofFIG. 3. For example, the electronic device 300 may be configured as apalm-top computer, a tablet computer, a gaming device, wearablecomputer, a remote controller, a media player, laptop computer, portablecomputer, or other electronic device.

As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic device 300 includes a touch sensitivesurface 100. In this illustrative embodiment, the touch sensitivesurface 100 is simply a portion of the housing 301 beneath which a touchsensor 201 is disposed. Using a portion of the housing 301 to define thesurface 102 of the touch sensitive surface 100 provides a streamlinedlook and feel that can be desirable to a consumer. The touch sensitivesurface 100 includes a recessed surface feature 106 on a portion of thetouch sensitive surface 100 as previously described.

Note that the housing 301 of FIG. 3 is convex in that a central portion302 of the rear face 305 of the electronic device 300 extends outwardlyfrom the electronic device 300, i.e., out of the page as viewed in FIG.3, relative to the side portions 304 of the rear face 305. By contrast,the housing (101) of FIG. 1 was substantially planar. It should be notedthat housings of electronic devices employing embodiments of thedisclosure can take a variety of shapes, and can be substantiallyplanar, convex, concave, undulating, or combinations thereof.

In this explanatory embodiment, the touch sensitive surface 100 isdisposed along the rear face 305 of the electronic device. It should benoted that while the touch sensitive surface 100 of FIG. 3 is disposedon the rear face 305 to illustrate one or more of its advantages, suchtouch sensitive surfaces configured in accordance with embodiments ofthe disclosure can be disposed on any external surface of the electronicdevice.

In FIG. 3, the explanatory electronic device 300 is shown illustrativelywith a schematic block diagram. The illustrative electronic device 300includes a user interface 306. The user interface 306 can includemultiple elements, as is the case in this illustrative embodiment. Here,the user interface 306 includes a touch sensitive display 307, one ormore buttons 308, 309, 310, 311, and the touch sensitive surface 100. Inone or more embodiments, the user interface 306 can include additionalelements, including an audio jack 319, a loudspeaker 320, a camera 321,a microphone 322, or a haptic component 318. In other embodiments,additional accessories can be included in the user interface 306,including an earpiece speaker, wirelessly coupled accessories,loudspeaker devices, and so forth.

The touch sensitive display 307 is operable with a display driver 312.The illustrative electronic device 300 also includes a communicationcircuit 313 that can be configured for wired or wireless communicationwith one or more other devices or networks. The networks can include awide area network, a local area network, and/or personal area network.The communication circuit 313 can include wireless communicationcircuitry, one of a receiver, a transmitter, or transceiver, and one ormore antennas 314.

The electronic device 300 includes a control circuit 315, which caninclude one or more processors. The control circuit 315 is responsiblefor performing the various functions of the electronic device 300. Inone embodiment, the control circuit 315 is operable with the touchsensor 201 to detect touch actuation from an object. The control circuit315 can be a microprocessor, a group of processing components, one ormore Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), programmablelogic, or other type of processing device. The control circuit 315 canbe operable with the user interface 306 and the communication circuit313, as well as various peripheral ports (not shown) that can be coupledto peripheral hardware devices via interface connections.

The control circuit 315 can be configured to process and executeexecutable software code to perform the various functions of theelectronic device 300. A storage device, such as memory 316, stores theexecutable software code used by the control circuit 315 for deviceoperation. The executable software code used by the control circuit 315can be configured as one or more modules 317 that are operable with thecontrol circuit 315. Such modules 317 can store instructions, controlalgorithms, and so forth. The instructions can instruct processors orcontrol circuit 315 to perform the various steps, touch sensing,predetermined gesture detection, and corresponding methods describedbelow.

As noted above, in one embodiment, the touch sensor 201 is configured asa capacitive touchpad configured to detect movement of a user's fingeror other object within a region defined by the outer perimeter 103 ofthe capacitive touchpad. The capacitive touchpad can further beconfigured to detect a direction of the movement within the region.

In one or more embodiments, the touch sensitive surface 100 is operablewith an optional haptic component 318. The haptic component 318 can beconfigured to provide a pseudo-tactile feedback in response to useractuation sensed as a predetermined gesture along the touch sensitivesurface 100. In one embodiment, the haptic component 318 can simulatethe popples or spring mechanisms of conventional keys by delivering atactile response to housing 301 of the electronic device 300 when thedevice senses a predetermined gesture on the touch sensitive surface100.

In one embodiment of a haptic component 318, a haptic layer includes atransducer configured to provide a sensory feedback when a user deliversa predetermined gesture to the touch sensitive surface 100. In oneembodiment, the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer configured toapply a mechanical “pop” to the housing 301 of the electronic device 300that is strong enough to be detected by the user. Thus, the tactilefeedback layer of a haptic component 318 provides sensory feedback tothe user, thereby indicating when a predetermined gesture is detected bythe control circuit 315. As an alternative to including a haptic device,acoustic feedback could be provided via speakers. Visible feedback couldalso be provided either directly from the touch sensitive display 307,or by integrating light emitting diodes, optionally with light guides,along surfaces of the electronic device 300. In another embodiment,electrostatic vibration technology may also be used on the surface topto provide haptic feedback in response to user gestures, such asswiping.

In one or more embodiments, the control circuit 315 is configured todetect a predetermined gesture sequence when a user applies touchactuation along the touch sensitive surface 100 and interacts with therecessed surface feature 106. In one embodiment, where the touch sensor201 includes a capacitive touch sensor having capacitive electrode pairsdefining pixels (105) spanning the recessed surface feature 106, thecontrol circuit 315 can be configured to detect the predeterminedgesture sequence only when the applied touch interaction interacts witha predetermined subset of the capacitor electrode pairs or pixels. Forexample, in one embodiment about twenty-five pixels span the surface ofthe recessed surface feature 106. The control circuit 315 can beconfigured, for example, to detect interaction with the recessed surfacefeature 106 when a sufficient number of pixels have sensed the touchinput. One example of a number of pixels defining this predeterminedsubset is about ten pixels. Requiring that at least a predeterminedsubset of the pixels detect the touch input helps to prevent thedetection of false recessed surface feature interaction when a userinadvertently contacts a small portion of the recessed surface feature106.

Turning briefly to FIG. 4, a user 400 is shown initiating apredetermined gesture sequence by placing a finger 401 into the recessedsurface feature 106. The user 400 can then move 402 the finger 401 outof the recessed surface feature 106 to traverse the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 to finish along the touch sensitive surface100 at a location outside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surfacefeature 106. In one embodiment, the control circuit (315) is configuredto recognize this “beginning inside the recessed surface feature andfinishing outside the recessed surface feature” as a predeterminedgesture sequence. Other examples of predetermined gesture sequences willbe described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 5.

Upon detecting the predetermined gesture sequence, the control circuit(315) can perform an operation. One example of such an operation isincreasing or decreasing a volume output of a speaker 320 of theelectronic device 300. Other operations include panning through datapresented on a display of the electronic device 300, performing a zoomoperation on the data presented on the display of the electronic device300, delivering a haptic response with the haptic component (318) of theelectronic device, or combinations thereof. Other operations will beobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates examples of various predetermined gesture sequences501,502,503 that a control circuit (315) may be configured to detect inaccordance with embodiments of the disclosure. The various predeterminedgesture sequences 501,502,503 depicted in FIG. 5 are illustrative only,because numerous other predetermined gesture sequences will be obviousto those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

Beginning with predetermined gesture sequence 501, touch actuationbegins within the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 whenthe user 400 places a finger 401 into the recessed surface feature 106.This is indicated by a colored dot 505 in FIG. 5 shown at step 506.

From this step 506, the user 400 can deliver the predetermined gesturesequence 501 by moving the finger 401 across the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 to traverse the perimeter 107. Illustratingby example, at step 507, the user's finger 401 has moved 509 upwardacross the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 and out ofthe recessed surface feature 106 to terminate the predetermined gesturesequence 501 at colored dot 511 on a portion of the touch sensitivesurface 100 that is complementary to the recessed surface feature 106.The fact that the finger 401 initiated the predetermined gesturesequence 501 within the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature106, but finished elsewhere is indicated by the white circle 510 at step507 of FIG. 5. The fact that the predetermined gesture sequence 501terminated the predetermined gesture sequence 501 with the finger 401outside the perimeter 107 is indicated by the arrow representing themove 509 terminating at colored dot 511.

As used herein to describe the various predetermined gesture sequences501, 502, 503, colored dots without arrows indicating movementdemonstrate the beginning of a touch actuation. White circles at theback of an arrow indicating movement illustrate where a finger or styluswas at the beginning of a touch actuation, but is no longer. Coloreddots at the end of arrows demonstrate where a finger or stylus islocated at the termination of a predetermined gesture sequence.

As an alternative to step 507, from step 506 the user 400 couldsimilarly move 512 the finger 401 downward across the perimeter 107 ofthe recessed surface feature 106 at step 508 and out of the recessedsurface feature 106 to terminate the predetermined gesture sequence 501at colored dot 513 on another portion of the touch sensitive surface 100that is complementary to the recessed surface feature 106. Accordingly,predetermined gesture sequence 501 begins within the perimeter 107 ofthe recessed surface feature 106 at step 506, but terminates outside theperimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 at either step 507 orstep 508. Note that while step 507 and step 508 of this illustrationdepict movement 509,512 above and below the recessed surface feature,respectively, the movement could have been up and down as well.

Predetermined gesture sequence 501 is useful, for example, forcontrolling the volume output of an electronic device. For example, inone embodiment, by initiating the predetermined gesture sequence 501 byplacing a finger 401 inside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surfacefeature 106, the control circuit (315) operable with the touch sensor201 may be alerted to the fact that a predetermined gesture sequence isbeing made, rather than an arbitrary touch input. In one embodiment, thepredetermined gesture sequence 501 can correspond to an operation likevolume adjustment. Thus, when a finger 401 is detected within theperimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106, the control circuit(315) can be prompted to expect a volume adjustment input. When the user400 transitions from step 506 to step 507, the control circuit (315) candetect this to be an “increase volume” input. By contrast, when the user400 transitions from step 506 to 508, the control circuit (315) candetect this to be a “decrease volume” input, and so forth.

As noted above, volume adjustment is but one example of an operationthat can correspond to the predetermined gesture sequence 501. Otheroperations can include one of a haptic feedback operation, a panningoperation, a zooming operation, or combinations thereof. Using a zoomingoperation as an example, when a finger 401 is detected within theperimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106, in another embodimentthe control circuit (315) can be prompted to expect a zoom adjustmentinput. When the user 400 transitions from step 506 to step 507, thecontrol circuit (315) can detect this to be a “zoom in” input, and canaccordingly zoom into a picture or image being presented on the display.By contrast, when the user 400 transitions from step 506 to 508, thecontrol circuit (315) can detect this to be a “zoom out” input, and canaccordingly zoom out of a picture or image being presented on thedisplay.

In one or more embodiments, a temporal component can be added to thepredetermined gesture sequences. For example, in one embodiment, toconstitute an identifiable predetermined gesture sequence, the sequencemust include a touch actuation remaining within the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 for at least a predetermined duration.Thus, using predetermined gesture sequence 501 as an example, in oneembodiment at step 506 the user's finger 401 must remain within theperimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106, i.e., at colored dot505, for at least a predetermined duration prior to traversing theperimeter 107 in step 507 or step 508. This predetermined threshold,which may be on the order of several tenths of a second, can provide a“get ready” signal to the control circuit (315), while the movementoccurring in subsequent steps provides the “take action” signalnecessary to cause the control circuit (315) to execute the operationcorresponding to the predetermined gesture sequence 501 in response todetecting the predetermined gesture sequence 501.

Illustrating how this temporal embodiment can used, consider a userdesiring to adjust the volume of an electronic device. By placing afinger or stylus within the perimeter 107 of the recessed surfacefeature 106 for a predetermined duration, this can activate the volumecontrol of the electronic device. The direction with which the usermoves the finger or stylus across the perimeter 107 of the recessedsurface feature 106 can then determine how the volume is to be adjusted.Moving the finger or stylus up may increase volume, while moving thefinger or stylus down may decrease volume and so forth. Additional modescan be added as well. For example, moving the finger or stylus right orleft may adjust treble settings while moving the finger diagonally mayadjust bass and balance.

In other embodiments, to constitute an identifiable predeterminedgesture sequence, the sequence may need to include a touch actuationoccurring outside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106for at least a predetermined duration. Again using predetermined gesturesequence 501 as an example, in one embodiment at step 507 or step 508,the user's finger 401 must remain outside the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106, e.g., at colored dot 511 or colored dot513, for at least a predetermined duration after to traversing theperimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106. In one embodiment,the amount of time the user's finger 401 is outside the perimeter 107can correspond to an amount of adjustment. Illustrating by example, theduration one holds the user's finger 401 against the touch sensitivesurface 100 outside the perimeter 107 can correspond to an amount ofvolume adjustment, with longer times corresponding to greateradjustment.

Predetermined gesture sequence 502 is a corollary to predeterminedgesture sequence 501. Rather than beginning inside the perimeter 107 ofthe recessed surface feature 106, the touch input of predeterminedgesture sequence 502 begins outside of the perimeter 107 of the recessedsurface feature 106 and terminates inside the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106.

More specifically, at predetermined gesture sequence 502 the touchactuation begins outside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surfacefeature 106 when the user 400 places a finger 401 along an area of thetouch sensitive surface 100 that is complementary to the recessedsurface feature 106. Two explanatory locations are indicated by coloreddot 514 and colored dot 515 shown at step 516.

From this step 516, the user 400 can deliver the predetermined gesturesequence 502 by moving the finger 401 across the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 to traverse the perimeter 107 into therecessed surface feature 106. Illustrating by example, at step 517, theuser's finger 401 has moved 519 downward across the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 and into the recessed surface feature 106to terminate the predetermined gesture sequence 502 at colored dot 521.

As an alternative to step 517, from step 516 the user 400 couldsimilarly move 522 the finger 401 upward across the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 at step 518 into the recessed surfacefeature 106 to terminate the predetermined gesture sequence 501 atcolored dot 523. Accordingly, this predetermined gesture sequence 502begins outside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 atstep 516, but terminates inside the perimeter 107 of the recessedsurface feature 106 at either step 517 or step 518. As withpredetermined gesture sequence 501, predetermined gesture sequence 502can be used to control volume, panning, selection of items in a list,scrolling, zooming, or other operations. Additionally, the controlcircuit (315) can be configured to deliver haptic feedback whenpredetermined gesture sequence 502 is detected.

As with predetermined gesture sequence 501, predetermined gesturesequence 502 can include a temporal component. For example, in oneembodiment, to constitute an identifiable predetermined gesturesequence, the sequence must include a touch actuation remaining withinthe perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 for at least apredetermined duration. Thus, as an example, in one embodiment at step517 or step 518 the user's finger 401 must remain within the perimeter107 of the recessed surface feature 106, i.e., at colored dot 521 orcolored dot 523, for at least a predetermined duration after traversingthe perimeter 107 in step 517 or step 518.

In other embodiments, to constitute an identifiable predeterminedgesture sequence, the sequence may need to include a touch actuationoccurring outside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106for at least a predetermined duration. As another example, in oneembodiment at step 516, the user's finger 401 must remain outside theperimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106, e.g., at colored dot514 or colored dot 515, for at least a predetermined duration priortraversing the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 ateither step 517 or step 518.

Predetermined gesture sequence 503 is just one additional example of themyriad of predetermined gesture sequences that can be detected usinginteraction with the recessed surface feature 106. In predeterminedgesture sequence 503, the user's finger 401 passes through the perimeter107 of the recessed surface feature 106 as it moves from one side to theother. The touch input of predetermined gesture sequence 503 beginsoutside of the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 andalso terminates outside the perimeter 107 of the recessed surfacefeature 106 having traversed across the perimeter 107 twice.

At predetermined gesture sequence 503 the touch actuation begins outsidethe perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature 106 when the user 400places their finger 401 along an area of the touch sensitive surface 100that is complementary to the recessed surface feature 106. Twoexplanatory locations are indicated by colored dot 524 and colored dot525 shown at step 526.

From this step 526, the user 400 can deliver the predetermined gesturesequence 503 by moving the finger 401 across the perimeter 107 of therecessed surface feature 106 to traverse the perimeter 107 twice.Illustrating by example, at step 527, the user's finger 401 has moved529 downward across the perimeter 107 of the recessed surface feature106 and into the recessed surface feature 106, then back out again, toterminate the predetermined gesture sequence 503 at colored dot 531. Asan alternative to step 527, from step 526 the user 400 could similarlymove 533 the finger 401 upward across the perimeter 107 of the recessedsurface feature 106 at step 528 into the recessed surface feature 106,then back out again, to terminate the predetermined gesture sequence 503at colored dot 532.

As with predetermined gesture sequence 501 and predetermined gesturesequence 502, predetermined gesture sequence 503 can be used to controlvolume, panning, selection of items in a list, scrolling, zooming, orother operations. Additionally, the control circuit (315) can beconfigured to deliver haptic feedback when predetermined gesturesequence 503 is detected. Also as with predetermined gesture sequence501 and predetermined gesture sequence 502, predetermined gesturesequence 503 can include a temporal component. For example, toconstitute an identifiable predetermined gesture sequence, the sequencemay be required to include a touch actuation remaining within theperimeter 107, and/or outside the perimeter 107 for at least apredetermined time duration.

In one or more embodiments, predetermined gesture sequences can beperformed in series to provide more complex user input options.Accordingly, the control circuit (315) can be configured to detect asecond predetermined gesture sequence after detecting a firstpredetermined gesture sequence. In one embodiment, the secondpredetermined gesture sequence occurs when another touch actuationinteracts with the recessed surface feature 106. The control circuit(315) can be configured to perform an operation after the firstpredetermined gesture sequence, the second predetermined gesturesequence, or both. FIG. 6 illustrates one example of this.

At step 601, predetermined gesture sequence 501′ is performed. Note thatpredetermined gesture sequence 501′ is similar in operation topredetermined gesture sequence (501) described above with reference toFIG. 5. However, rather than moving the finger (401) up and down as inpredetermined gesture sequence (501), the finger (401) moves left andright in predetermined gesture sequence 501′. At step 602, predeterminedgesture sequence 503′ is performed. Note that predetermined gesturesequence 503′ is similar in operation to predetermined gesture sequence(503) described above with reference to FIG. 5. However, rather thanmoving the finger (401) up and down as in predetermined gesture sequence(503), the finger (401) moves left and right in predetermined gesturesequence 503′. The control circuit (315) may be configured to execute aunique operation, in one embodiment, after both steps 601,602 have beenperformed. However, in other embodiments, the control circuit (315) canbe configured to execute an operation at each step 601,602. Illustratingby example, after step 601 the control circuit (315) may launch a musicplayer application. The control circuit (315) may then adjust the volumein accordance with the predetermined gesture sequence 503 detected atstep 602.

FIG. 7 provides an illustration of how three or more predeterminedgesture sequences can be performed. At step 701, predetermined gesturesequence 502′ is detected. Note that predetermined gesture sequence 502′is similar in operation to predetermined gesture sequence (502)described above with reference to FIG. 5. However, rather than movingthe finger (401) up and down as in predetermined gesture sequence (502),the finger (401) moves left and right in predetermined gesture sequence502′. At step 702, predetermined gesture sequence 501 is performed. Atstep 703, predetermined gesture sequence 503′ is performed. It will beobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thisdisclosure that other combinations of gesture sequences can be strungtogether as user input as well.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method 800 of controlling an electronic device inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. Many of themethod steps have previously been described. FIG. 8 provides a conciseflow chart of some of the method steps. The flow chart of FIG. 8 issuitable for coding as executable code to control one or more processorsor control circuits to execute the method 800.

At step 801, a gesture is received. In one embodiment, the predefinedgesture is received from a touch sensitive surface including a concavesurface element on a portion of the touch sensitive surface. In oneembodiment, the predefined gesture is received when a touch actuationinteracts with the concave surface element. Decision 802 determineswhether the gesture is a predefined gesture that interacts with theconcave surface element, or whether the gesture is an ordinary gesturethat does not interact with the concave surface element.

For example, decision 802 can include determining that the touchactuation traverses a perimeter of the concave surface element. In oneembodiment, decision 802 can include determining that the touchactuation begins or ends within a perimeter of the concave surfaceelement for at least a predetermined duration. In one embodiment,decision 802 can include determining that the touch actuation begins orends outside a perimeter of the concave surface element for at least apredetermined duration.

Where the gesture is an ordinary gesture, as determined at decision 802,a corresponding operation can be executed at step 803. However, wherethe gesture is a predefined gesture that interacts with the concavesurface feature, an operation corresponding to the predefined gesture isexecuted at step 804. In one embodiment the operation is to control theelectronic device. Examples of operations include increasing ordecreasing a volume output of the electronic device, panning throughdata presented on a display of the electronic device, performing a zoomoperation on the data presented on the display of the electronic device,delivering a haptic response, or combinations thereof.

At optional step 805, another predefined gesture can be received whenanother touch actuation again interacts with the concave surfaceelement. As described above with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, step 805can be repeated to concatenate more and more predefined gestures tocreate a longer gesture.

It should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily incombinations of method steps and apparatus components related toproviding a touch sensitive surface for an electronic device. Anyprocess descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood asrepresenting modules, segments, or portions of code that include one ormore executable instructions for implementing specific logical functionsor steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included, and itwill be clear that functions may be executed out of order from thatshown or discussed, including concurrently or in reverse order,depending on the functionality involved. Accordingly, the apparatuscomponents and method steps have been represented where appropriate byconventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specificdetails that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of thepresent disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details thatwill be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art havingthe benefit of the description herein.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the disclosure describedherein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors andunique stored program instructions that control the one or moreprocessors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processorcircuits, some, most, or all of the functions of detecting touchactivation with a capacitive touchpad or other touch sensor as describedherein. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to,a radio receiver, a radio transmitter, signal drivers, clock circuits,power source circuits, and user input devices. As such, these functionsmay be interpreted as steps of a method to perform touch sensing ortouch activation operations. Alternatively, some or all functions couldbe implemented by a state machine that has no stored programinstructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits(ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of thefunctions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination ofthe two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for thesefunctions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that oneof ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and manydesign choices motivated by, for example, available time, currenttechnology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts andprinciples disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating suchsoftware instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.

Embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail. Referringto the drawings, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the views.As used in the description herein and throughout the claims, thefollowing terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise: the meaning of“a,” “an,” and“the” includes plural reference, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and“on.” Relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and thelike may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from anotherentity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actualsuch relationship or order between such entities or actions. Also,reference designators shown herein in parenthesis indicate componentsshown in a figure other than the one in discussion. For example, talkingabout a device (10) while discussing figure A would refer to an element,10, shown in figure other than figure A.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the presentdisclosure have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in theart appreciates that various modifications and changes can be madewithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure as set forthin the claims below. Thus, while preferred embodiments of the disclosurehave been illustrated and described, it is clear that the disclosure isnot so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations,substitutions, and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure asdefined by the following claims. Accordingly, the specification andfigures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within thescope of present disclosure. The benefits, advantages, solutions toproblems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, orsolution to occur or are not to be construed as a critical, required, oressential features or elements of any or all the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: a hapticcomponent configured to deliver a haptic response; a touch-sensitivesurface, wherein the touch-sensitive surface includes a recessed featurewithin a particular area of the touch-sensitive surface; and a controlcircuit configured to: detect a gesture performed at the particular areaof the touch-sensitive surface; determine whether the gesture is apredetermined gesture by determining a direction that an object detectedby the touch-sensitive surface traversed a perimeter of the recessedfeature and an amount of time that the object then remained outside theperimeter of the recessed feature; and responsive to determining thatthe gesture is the predetermined gesture: cause the haptic component todeliver the haptic response at the recessed feature; select, based onwhether the direction is a first direction or a second direction, eithera first operation or at least one other second operation that isdifferent than the first operation; and perform, based at least in parton the amount of time, either the first operation or the at least oneother second operation selected based on the direction.
 2. Theelectronic device of claim 1, wherein the haptic component includes atransducer configured to deliver the haptic response as user feedbackfor indicating when the predetermined gesture is detected.
 3. Theelectronic device of claim 2, wherein the transducer is a piezoelectrictransducer.
 4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the userfeedback is a mechanical pop sensation.
 5. The electronic device ofclaim 1, further comprising: a housing; and a display, wherein thetouch-sensitive surface is on a side of the housing that is opposite thedisplay.
 6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the recessedfeature comprises a capacitive touch sensor having capacitive electrodepairs defining pixels spanning a surface of the recessed feature.
 7. Theelectronic device of claim 6, wherein the control circuit is configuredto determine that the gesture is the predetermined gesture only when thegesture is detected by at least a predetermined subset of the capacitorelectrode pairs or pixels.
 8. The electronic device of claim 1, whereinthe control circuit is configured to perform either the first operationor the at least one other second operation selected based on thedirection by performing one or more of: adjusting a volume control of anaudio output device of the electronic device; adjusting a tone controlof the audio output device; adjusting a panning control of a camera ofthe electronic device; adjusting a zooming control of the camera; oradjusting a scrolling control of a graphical user interface of theelectronic device.
 9. A method comprising: detecting, by a controlcircuit of an electronic device, a gesture performed at a particulararea of a touch-sensitive surface of the electronic device, wherein thetouch-sensitive surface includes a recessed feature within theparticular area of the touch-sensitive surface; determining, by thecontrol circuit, whether the gesture is a predetermined gesture bydetermining a direction that an object detected by the touch-sensitivesurface traversed a perimeter of the recessed feature and an amount oftime that the object then remained outside the perimeter of the recessedfeature; and responsive to determining that the gesture is thepredetermined gesture: causing, by the control circuit, a hapticcomponent of the electronic device to deliver a haptic response at therecessed feature; selecting, by the control circuit, based on whetherthe direction is a first direction or a second direction, either a firstoperation or at least one other second operation that is different thanthe first operation; and performing, by the control circuit, based atleast in part on the amount of time, either the first operation or theat least one other second operation selected based on the direction. 10.The method of claim 9, wherein the haptic component includes atransducer configured to deliver the haptic response as user feedbackfor indicating when the predetermined gesture is detected.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the transducer is a piezoelectrictransducer.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user feedback is amechanical pop sensation.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein therecessed feature comprises a capacitive touch sensor having capacitiveelectrode pairs defining pixels spanning a surface of the recessedfeature.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining that thegesture is the predetermined gesture comprises determining, by thecontrol circuit, that the gesture is detected by at least apredetermined subset of the capacitor electrode pairs.
 15. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructionsthat when executed by a control circuit of an electronic device causethe control circuit to: detect a gesture performed at a particular areaof a touch-sensitive surface of the electronic device, wherein thetouch-sensitive surface includes a recessed feature within theparticular area of the touch-sensitive surface; determine whether thegesture is a predetermined gesture by determining a direction that anobject detected by the touch-sensitive surface traversed a perimeter ofthe recessed feature and an amount of time that the object then remainedoutside the perimeter of the recessed feature; and responsive todetermining that the gesture is the predetermined gesture: cause ahaptic component of the electronic device to deliver a haptic responseat the recessed feature; select, based on whether the direction is afirst direction or a second direction, either a first operation or atleast one other second operation that is different than the firstoperation; and perform, based at least in part on the amount of time,either the first operation or the at least one other second operationselected based on the direction.
 16. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the hapticcomponent includes a transducer configured to deliver the hapticresponse as user feedback for indicating when the predetermined gestureis detected.
 17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 16, wherein the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.
 18. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein theuser feedback is a mechanical pop sensation.
 19. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the recessedfeature comprises a capacitive touch sensor having capacitive electrodepairs defining pixels spanning a surface of the recessed feature. 20.The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, whereinthe instructions, when executed, cause the control circuit to determinethat the gesture is the predetermined gesture by at least determiningthat the gesture is detected by at least a predetermined subset of thecapacitor electrode pairs.